Improvement in washing-machines



are openings at the bottom of that beater to al- PAENT FFICE.

`BOBERT E. FERGUSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. FERGUSON, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in lashing-Machines, of which following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of my machine, and Fig. 2 a detached view of the box or socket support-ing the tub at its bottom.

My invention relates to that class of washingmachines that revolves on an axis and does the washin g by violent agitation caused by the contents of the tub dashing against cleats or beaters rigidly attached to the interior of the tub. The iirst part of my invention consists in hanging the cylindrical tub or vessel A in a frame in an oblique position, so that the contents of the tub will rest partly on the bottom and partly on the side of the tub and bea gitated by the beaters on both. The second part of my invention consists in the folding frame B for holding the tub when in use, but which can be folded for transportation or to be put aside when not in use. The third part of my invention consists of the board F, attached to the frame at its top and extending down over the tub so that the clothes, as they pass through a wringer attached to the frame over the tub, will slide down on the board into a basket or other suitable receptacle and be kept from falling on the tub A.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand how to make and use my invention, I will describe the same with particularity.

A is an ordinary cylindrical tight tub, made of staves, sufficiently strong for washing clothes. C are cleats or beaters firmly attached to the inside ofthe staves of the tub, and C are cleats or beaters attached to the inside of the bottom of the tub, as shown. One of the beaters, C, is made hollow, and a long plug, I), extends through it to the hole lH through the bottom ofthe tub. There low of the water escaping through the hole H when the plug is withdrawn. E is a cover, hinged to the head of the tub by rubber hinges c in such manner that the hinges serve as springs to hold the cover closed, and the edges of the cover are so made and attached as to be nearly water-tight when closed, or as nearly s o as possible. Vhen the plug I) is raised, as shown in dotted lines,

the cover holds it raised, and all the water runs through the hole H from the tub. B, B1, and B2 is a triangular frame, one-half of which is shown in the drawing, there being two pieces of each kind, and they are held together by the crosspieces I?, P1, I, and P3 firmly bolted thereto. V are ledges rmly secured to the pieces B, and

to which the cross-piece P2 is attached to make the bearing for the spindle I on an incline, as shown. W is an ordinary handle-crank for revolving the tub. I is a crank-spindle rmly attached to the center of the head of the tub, and it has a bearing in the cross-piece P2, as shown. There may be a thick cross-piece, J, across the head of the tub to make a strong attachment for the spindle I. K is a spindle attached to the center ofthe bottom of the tub, as shown, and it rests in an open socket, L, which is securely fastened to the cross-piece P1. This socket or halfsocket is made open on one side so that the spindle can'be readily removed therefrom, and it be- Y ing on an incline, with the open side up, as shown, it holds oil for lubrication, and, also, the spindle is not liable to be accidentally displaced therefrom. Bl is hinged to B at O, and the braces B2 are attached to B1 by pivot-bolts It, and are hooked over the cross-piece I) and secured there by a button or hook,as shown. The tub A can be lifted from the frame, and then, by turning the button or unhooking the hook that secures the braces B2 to the cross-piece l?, the whole frame can be folded up compactly, by B2 turning on the bolts B and B1 swinging on the hinges O. S S are rollers in the end of the braces. B2 and T are handles. By raising the machine it is thrown upon the rollers S, and may be rolled about as desired. F is a board attached to the top of the frame, and ex tending down over the top of the tub, so that, as the clothes pass through a wringer attached to the cross-piece l?, they will drop upon the board F and be carried into a basket without being soiled. v This board may be readily removed and placed aside with the wringer and kept clean. It will be readily seen that the water and clothes will rest partly on the side and partly on the bottom of the tub, on account of its being hiuig in an inclined position, and as the tub is revolved by turning the crank U the contents of-the tub will be carried partly up by the cleats or beaters and then fall back, and a great agitation produced.

What`I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The tub A, provided with inside cleats or 4. The adjustable frame of the machine, consistin g essentially ofthe upright portion B, hinged portion B1, pivoted arms B2, and bearing-pieces J Pl, as herein shown and described, for the purposes speciiied.

ROBT. E. FERGUSON.

Vitnesses F. F. NVARNER, HEINR. F. BRUNs. 

